1) Belchertown (19-2 last year) – Belchertown enters the season as the defending state Division III champion, the PVSSL champion and on a 16-game winning streak. The Orioles will put their No. 1 ranking on the line with a tough first test when they take on Amherst Thursday.

2) Ludlow (15-3-3) – Last year’s Western Mass. Division I runner-up, Ludlow appears ready to reclaim the top spot in the Smith Conference. It will get a chance to prove that it belongs at the top of the rankings in its season-opener against defending state champion West Springfield on Tuedsday.

3) Amherst (12-4-4) – Amherst should be neck and neck with Ludlow, as the two Smith Conference powerhouses will compete for the top spot in Western Mass. Division I soccer again this season. It lost its season-opener against Belchertown last season, so Thursday’s contest is a chance for it to get this season started on a better foot.

4) West Springfield (15-3-3) – While it won the state Division I championship last year, West Side will have to replace graduated stars Alex Kraver, Matt Kolb and Kieran Moriarty. Junior Conor Moriarty will be a big part of the effort to keep the Terriers at the top of Western Mass. soccer this year.

5) Pittsfield (12-1-7) – The top team from Berkshire County entering the season, Pittsfield made it to the Western Mass. Division I semifinals last year before falling to Ludlow. The loss to Ludlow was Pittsfield’s only loss from a season ago.

6) Minnechaug (9-7-3) – Senior captain Alex DeSaulnier was named to the boys soccer Super 7, but Minnechaug has several attacking options this year, including junior Willem Fuehr, sophomore Michael Rita. The Falcons had trouble against top teams a year ago, but they have improved and will be a tough team to beat.

7) Agawam (7-7-5) – A talented top two attackers and an improved two center backs have Agawam set for a bounce back year. Kris Page will be the key to the Brownies improving its defense from last season.

8) Chicopee (7-9-2) – Tom Rivet’s crew had a good offseason, going 2-0-1 in contests against teams in Ireland. The Pacers are the only team to have beaten Ludlow in each of the last two seasons, but they just missed the postseason a year ago.

10) Mount Greylock (13-4-4)– The Mounties made it to the Western Mass. Division III final last season, knocking off Wahconah and Monument Mountain before falling to eventual state champion Belchertown. Mount Greylock has fallen to Belchertown in each postseason since 2009.

11) East Longmeadow (9-8-3) – The Spartans finished last in the power Smith Conference last season, but they still finished with a winning record and made it to the Western Mass. Division I quarterfinals. East Longmeadow will have to find a way to replace graduated midfielder/striker Matt Mooney’s production from a year ago, as he scored more than half of the team’s goals.

12) Monument Mountain (11-4-5) – Monument Mountain fell to Mount Greylock in penalty kicks last season in the Western Mass. Division III semifinals. The Spartans lost some talented seniors, but figure to be in the mix as one of the top teams from Berkshire County again this season.

13) Chicopee Comp (8-10-2) – The Colts lost seven one-goal games last season, but finished 5-2-1 in the Moriarty Conference. Chicopee Comp lost several talented seniors to graduation, including 17-goal scorer Brian Mutai.

14) Renaissance (14-3-2) – With 14 wins last year, Renaissance made a statement with a 6-0 win over East Longmeadow late in the season. It lost its leading scorer in John Togba, but 10-goal scorer Samuel Asomoah will be a senior this year.

15) Longmeadow (5-11-2) – The Lacers had a tough season last year, only winning five games and going on an eight-game winless streak between Sept. 16 and Oct. 4. However, it won three of its last for games, and is expecting bigger impact from juniors James Fisher and Will Lukas.

16) Central (13-5-2) – It will be very interesting to see how Central rebounds from its loss of top striker DeAndrae Brown. The Golden Eagles won the Moriarty Conference last season, but the team will look very different without Brown.

17) Hopkins (19-2-1) – Hopkins was the Western Mass. Divison IV champion from a year ago, winning 19 games in the process. It graduated a very good senior class, but the Golden Hawks should be back and ready to compete for the top spot in Division IV again.

18) Monson (9-3-9) – The Mustangs has a new coach and lost their star player and star goalkeeper before this season. Even without them, the program's depth will likely have it back among the top Division IV teams. Senior Patrick Murphy will start the season as the team's striker.

19) Gateway (14-5-2) – The Gators did not have as much success within their conference as Renaissance did, but they finished the season with the same number of overall wins at 14. Big matchup with Renaissance on Wednesday.

20) Frontier (7-8-2) – The Red Hawks showed they have some highly skilled players in the summer league when they lost in the final despite only having 11 players. Jamie Blinder and Chad Parent each scored nine goals a year ago.